You already know you have a legal right to seek compensation from the negligent party if you were hurt on a SEPTA vehicle. What you may not realize is the full extent of the amount that is possible to recover. Aside from medical costs, you can also seek economic damages if the injury impacted your ability to work. Calculating lost income can be more complicated than you might think, however, which is why an attorney is necessary when filing a claim or suing SEPTA.
What You Need to Know About Lost Income in a SEPTA Injury Case
With some SEPTA bus accident injuries, lost wage calculations are fairly straightforward, as it isn’t difficult to multiply your hourly wage by the exact number of days you were unable to work. Lost income amounts can vary depending on the length of time away from work while recovering, and may also include future lost wages if you require additional therapy or treatment going forward.
More serious SEPTA accident injuries can substantially alter the calculation process. If you are unable to return to the same line of work, for instance, or got passed over for a promotion while recovering, the amount may drastically change. Self-employment also complicates the process, since your income may vary over time and be less simple to add up than an hourly wage.
After sustaining an accident due to SEPTA negligence, you can recover economic damages for:
- Actual wages, whether salaried or hourly
- Benefits such as sick days, company outings, loaned vehicles, etc.
- Losing out on bonuses or raises
- Lost earning capacity if you can’t return to work at all or are unable to work the same type of job
- Costs associated with learning a new skill in the event of paralysis or another serious injury
Recovering any of these types of lost income requires proving negligence and overcoming a variety of common legal defenses employed by SEPTA. That’s why it’s a necessity to work alongside a personal injury attorney with experience in SEPTA cases to either negotiate with insurance adjusters or take your case to court.
Both insurance carriers and the negligent driver will likely attempt to downplay the extent of the injury and its impact on your ability to work. Your attorney may end up using sources such as pay stubs, tax returns, statements from previous clients, medical records, economic or vocational experts, and witnesses from your place of employment to establish the full amount you are owed.
Contact a SEPTA Accident Attorney for More Info
The bottom line is that you don’t want to leave money on the table. An injury turned your life upside down, and you deserve the full amount owed while you recover. To find out if we can help you after a SEPTA accident, fill out our online form with the basic details of your case.
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